Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are used in a number of therapeutic, diagnostic, and research applications. Therapeutic and diagnostic areas include cancer, antiviral treatment, autoimmune and inflammatory disease, allergy, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and rheumatology.
Protein engineering and other efforts have generated mAbs with improved efficacy and targeting (e.g., bispecific mAbs), improved localization, tissue penetration, and blood clearance (e.g., single chain Fab variable fragments (scFvs), diabodies, minibodies, and other fragments), and altered immunostimulatory, safety, toxicity, and/or pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics properties, such as those containing modified Fc regions (e.g., through mutation or glycosylation). mAbs have been reengineered to permit site-specific conjugation of small molecules for improved delivery (e.g., ThioMABs) or to irreversibly bind to their antigen (e.g., infinite affinity mAbs). mAbs have also been developed to improve the circulation and presentation of bioactive peptides and other biologics (e.g., CovX-bodies). Conjugation to various agents has allowed targeted immunotherapy and diagnostic methods. Hetero-multimeric scFvs and scFvs or mAbs fused to avidin have been developed for pre-targeted therapy and to improve the detection limits for tumor imaging.
Although mAbs can be effective and have advantages over small molecule approaches, existing antibodies and methods have various limitations. These can include adverse side effects resulting from off-target interactions, and/or collateral damage due to, among other things, long circulation times of antibody-drug conjugates). There is a need for improved antibodies and associated compounds, including those providing improved efficacy, synergy, specificity, and safety, and methods and uses of the same. Provided are antibodies, compounds and compositions including peptides and other molecules, and related methods that address such needs.